Another Day, Another Meeting
by Aimme
Summary: Diplomatic meetings a bother to anyone? Apparently so for a certain Elven twin. (Just a peek at a day in the life of a son of Elrond.)


**Title: **Another Day, Another Meeting**  
Author: **Raina**  
Summary: **Diplomatic meetings a bother to anyone? Apparently so for a certain Elven twin. Just a peek at a day in the life of a son of Elrond.**  
Disclaimers: **If I owned LotR, I would be filthy rich and spending time with my friends that live in other states, not writing so many stories all the time. I think you can come to the conclusion that I do not, in fact, own LotR - I just borrow the characters, places, etc. for my own enjoyment, and hopefully to the pleasure of others that read these tales.  
**Warnings: **Brief Mild Language**  
Beta: **MCross**  
Author's Notes: **This was written for the **MCI February Challenge: **_must include the word 'bloody', and the quote: "Look, I'm so tired, will you just -" (can end there or the sentence can be completed). Must also have the line: "Don't look at me like that, I'm trapped too, you know!" _

This is a bit of nonsense, I am sure. Not to be taken too seriously.  
I am not sure if I made this very clear in the story, so I thought I would point out: in the first and last parts, things are being spoken in Elvish, but in the middle part (during the meeting) usually, unless otherwise noted, the language being spoken is Common (English) - this is why I have no Elvish in the first and last parts, but the middle has some Sindarin.

* * *

Loop over, pull tight. Examine reflection. Not quite right. Untie, adjust, reloop, pull taught. Stars! still not correct.

There came a knock at the door.

"Come in. Come in!" he snapped.

"Elladan, _what _are you doing? The Ambassadors arrive any moment now!" Elrohir closed the door and approached his brother.

"As if I care!" Elladan growled.

Elrohir just gave him a look at that statement. It was true though, he did not care that the Emissaries were to be there at any given moment - what they both knew he cared about, however, was what their father would say if Elladan did not arrive in time to greet the delegates.

"I hate these bloody diplomatic meetings," Elladan hissed under his breath.

"And if I had not the luxury of knowing you my whole life, I would say you are procrastinating. Oh, and don't let father hear you swearing, you know he doesn't like it." Elrohir had the odd and very rare chance of chastising his brother.

Elladan stiffened and cast a glare at his brother. "I am not procrastinating. Just because I find these diplomatic situations to be all rather a bother, does not signify that I would intentionally be putting off arriving."

"Then what is keeping you?" Elrohir asked with a hint of humor in his eyes.

The older twin let out a sigh. "This ridiculous formal wear! I cannot get it to look right."

Elrohir shook his head and reached over to help his brother finish tying off the sash that he was wearing over one shoulder. "There."

Elladan glared at the reflection of himself in the mirror. "I despise these robes. They look like... dresses." He shifted uncomfortably.

The younger twin gave his brother a stern look. "What a sexist attitude! I am surprised at you." Elrohir turned and headed for the door before glancing back over his shoulder. "Besides, what if I said you looked good in a 'dress'?" The younger elf sniggered as he stepped out the door.

Elladan glanced back at the mirror in surprise, then glared at his brother's retreating form. "By the Valar!" he growled as he turned and exited behind his twin.

If there was nothing more that Elladan, as a warrior, hated - it was having to wear robes. Having spent so long as a soldier, the older twin preferred a tunic and leggings to anything related to a robe.

"I do not see what you are so upset about, 'Dan. All you have to do is spend five minutes greeting them, and _maybe_ an hour or so making small talk at the reception. _I _am the one who has to be their escort for the next three days." Elrohir shook his head.

"I don't enjoy these diplomatic situations, and as you said earlier - since you have had the luxury of knowing me your whole life, you should possess that knowledge already," Elladan shot back with frustration evident in his voice.

--

Elladan barely refrained from slamming his fist down on the table in anger. He couldn't take much more of this - his tolerance level was being pushed, and these delegates had better watch what they were doing or he was going to lose control.

The elf cast a glance over at his twin as he tried to keep a rein on himself, his gaze was almost pleading with his brother for some sort of release. Elrohir just returned his gaze with a look, his eyes seeming to say, "Don't look at me like that, I'm trapped too, you know."

At Elrohir's look, Elladan's anger flared up higher - after all, Elrohir had been the one that said all he would have to do is greet the ambassadors and then make small talk at the reception. In the rational part of his mind, Elladan knew that Elrohir could not have known about the meeting with the delegates that they would have to attend after the reception.

Suffusing a sigh, Elladan ran a hand through his hair and locked his eyes on the papers in front of him, trying to find the will to push down his rising annoyance and temper. The dark-haired elf breathed deeply, blocking out everything around him for a moment. He began to idly read what was in front of him, stemming his attention on his emotions.

"_Elladan!"_ The young elf's head snapped up at the stern tone, for he could also hear underneath the guarded voice there was slight annoyance and disapproval - a_ lot _of disapproval.

"Nin thelich, ada (You mean me, dad)?" Elladan said with apprehension, wondering what he had done wrong. Elrond's eyes narrowed at his son and Elladan quickly rectified, "Yes, My Lord Elrond?" A formal tone was adapted into the older twin's voice as he switched to Common and properly addressed his father, inclining his head slightly in respect to the elf-lord.

"You have been asked to state your opinion on this matter," Elrond responded, a small smile slipping through his stern visage at his son's tone.

Elladan swallowed hard. What matter were they discussing again? Something about Elves and the ambassadors sent by the Men of Harlech not agreeing with their methods or some such nonsense. The older son of Elrond cast what he hoped was a secretive glance over at his twin, hoping his brother could somehow help him cover up his inattentiveness. Elrohir nodded almost imperceptibly, and Elladan's gaze snapped back to his father - where, beneath the carefully guarded and formal expression, Elladan could detect humor shining in his father's eyes.

The elf wanted to flat-out state what he _really _thought of this whole thing, but knew that it was not a very proper response according to a formal meeting such as this. Tactic was needed, and so Elladan considered his answer carefully before answering. "It would be very difficult for me to respond to such a request, for one could say that my opinion is rather biased..."

--

"Well, _that_ was lovely meeting," Elladan commented sarcastically to Elrohir as the two walked down the hall towards their rooms for the evening.

Elrohir snorted. "Yes, indeed. I think it might be a good thing Estel is currently in Mirkwood."

That just caused the older twin to rolls his eyes. "The lucky scamp."

"I am not sure about that." He shrugged. "Luck doesn't seem to be with Estel when he and Legolas are together."

Elrohir's statement brought a small smile to Elladan's lips. "True, true. Still, I would almost rather be on a misadventure with them two than be stuck here listening to _that _drivel."

"Guard your tongue, Elladan, for it has a great power of its own." Elrond had approached the two unheard, catching his sons unaware.

"Yes, father."

"Good. Now, before you both retire, I would like to discuss this afternoon's meeting."

Elrohir raised an eyebrow at their father. "What more is there to discuss that was not mentioned at the meeting?"

"We've got to find a diplomatic solution to their complaints, don't we?" Elrond inquired, making his sons think the situation through. Turning, he gestured for the twins to join him as he strolled down the hall toward his study, where they could discuss the matters quietly between themselves.

"I think the only way for me to sanely get through this discussion is to have a bottle of wine," Elladan muttered.

"And wine we have plenty of, but first, before you start drinking, Elladan, I'd like to talk to you about your behaviour today." Elrond took a seat leisurely in a chair by the fireplace - which was not lit due to the fact that it was not the time of year for such a commodity to be needed, but there were several lamps sitting on the mantle that lit that part of the room. "Though I do not blame you for not wishing to pay much heed to such a tedious meeting--"

"Monotonous, nonsensical, and doltish is what it was."

Elrond's lips quirked slightly at his son's muttered statement, but his eyes clearly conveyed he didn't very much appreciate being interrupted. "Thank you, Elrohir, for your enlightening words."

Elladan snickered and Elrohir just shrugged with an innocent smile at their father's sarcastic statement.

Clearing his throat, the Lord of Rivendell called their attention back to the matter being discussed beforehand. "I do not blame you for your lack of attention, I found myself desiring an escape as well, but you must keep in mind better that when around the Men from Harlech, Common needs to be spoken, not our own native tongue. It does not make them feel welcome for us to speak Elvish around them, as one ambassador pointed out to me after the meeting."

"It was an accident..."

"I know it was, Elladan, but if you had been paying better attention, you would have remembered what language you needed to speak in."

At the highly amused expression on Elrond's face, Elladan scowled, letting out a sigh. "Look, I'm so tired, will you just please let it go so we can get on with the matter at hand?"

"Why? Elladan, we all had a trying day, we could use some amusement," Elrohir grinned at his brother.

"Not at my expense!" Elladan took a chair across from his father, a wine glass in hand.

"Very well," Elrond shook his head with a fond smile. "We shall have to discuss then the nature of this afternoon's meeting. A rather enjoyable topic, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, yes!" Elladan began sarcastically. "Whether or not Elves have the '_right'_ to have a dam on the Bruinen and therefore decide who gets water and when."

At that, all three elves descended into stress-induced, hysterical laughter.

**The End**

**A/N:** Normally I do not put the Elvish translations straight into the story, but I thought it would be best to have THAT translation right there, so that everyone can enjoy that phrase - it amuses me, for some unknown reason, so I thought it would be the best thing to have Elladan say. :D I wonder if I was correct


End file.
